Public divided over next Government

YouGov
May 11, 2010, 1:05 AM GMT+0

The British public remains divided as to what form the next government should take, with some even favouring Gordon Brown to remain as Prime Minister, a survey for the Sunday Times suggests. 28% of the public think Gordon Brown should stay on as Prime Minister, with a further ten percent claiming to not know. Despite Brown receiving some negative media coverage, including being described by one paper as ‘the "squatter" in Downing Street’, only 62% positively claimed they do not want to see him continue as Prime Minister.

For now, both the media and the public remain in the dark - the secretive coalition talks have left us knowing little more about the next government than we did on Election Day. Equally, the public seems no better placed to decide who they want to govern. 29% would like to see a coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats form the government, while 31% would prefer to see a coalition between the Liberal Democrats, Labour and other minor parties. Over one fifth (21%) would like to see a 'grand' coalition of all three parties, and seven percent do not know.

The formation of a Conservative minority government is also not seen by respondents as a popular outcome of the hung parliament. Only 19% favour this solution to the first hung parliament in over thirty years. However, given the broad division in opinion, there is only one thing we can be absolutely sure of – whatever the outcome to the coalition talks, some people will be disappointed.

Survey details and full results